Who Here as Read This Book?

[Beverly Marie]

This place looked lonely.... I'm a fan of the musical, so I decided to, um, de-lonely-a-fy it.
So, my brother and my sister read it, and it took them about 4 months. They have a ton of time on their hands.

[Schmergo]

I certainly have! I absolutely adore Les Miserables... I was a little nervous at first when I started reading the book, because it was so long and the beginning wasn't holding my attention, but once Jean Valjean came into the picture, I was hooked. I honestly think everyone should read this book at least once in their lives. I've read it four times... the first time I read it, it took me two days, but I basically didn't do ANYTHING else those two days... I think I even skipped a meal or two to read, and I barely slept. That's like when a new Harry Potter book comes out.

My favourite characters in the book are Montparnasse and Gavroche (and I love to hate Thenardier). I'm also very fond of Courfeyrac, and I like my little dorkboy Marius. I HATE ENJOLRAS WITH A BURNING PASSION, and I was rather disappointed by Javert, because I thought he'd be cooler, given that the same author created the brilliant villain Claude Frollo.

PS: Today at my High School Musical rehearsal, I was talking about Edna Turnblad, and this girl goes, "Have you ever heard of this guy called Michael Ball?" My eyes just LIT UP. By the end of rehearsal, we were singing every song from Les Miserables and impersonating Michael Ball, Colm Wilkinson, Terrence Mann, Frances Ruffelle, Phillip Quast, Michael Maguire, and all those guys.

[mousemaylikecheese]

No, I haven't read it, but maybe I'll try to read it so I get the Les Miserables references.

[Schmergo]

I highly recommend it. It's a good project for the summer, because the book's so long, and it's better to read it when you have a lot of free time.

[Kiren Brockett]

*wishes she hadn't returned the Brick to the school library*

Gosh, I love that book... particularly the tangents. They make me happy.

[Heidi Girl]

I haven't read it, but I'm seriously considering reading it over vacation.
- H.G.

[Luna Natashi]

(Only Schmergo will get this post.) Is this the one with "passionate nostrils" or is that "Hunchback of Notre Dame"?

Smiles,
Luna

[Schmergo]

Les Miserables is the one with passionate nostrils! It specifically describes the darling idiot dork Marius Pontmercy!

I just searched "Marius Pontmercy" and found this picture: i3.bebo.com/011a/4/medium/2007/07/29/10/1161814633a5118651653m.jpg

Also, this one: images.zwani.com/graphics/halloween/images/13.gif

Also, this one: www.baland.net/melissa/photos/Q_Jefferson.jpg

Our Marius is an attractive lad, isn't he? I certainly didn't know he was the third president of the united states! This is what Marius will always look like to me, though: farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/1620766391_04d0d7b94b.jpg?v=0 (Also, BC Quinn and Moist von Lipwig. I love Michael Ball!)

[Remora]

Jul 21, 2008 18:12:02 GMT -5 Schmergo said:

Les Miserables is the one with passionate nostrils! It specifically describes the darling idiot dork Marius Pontmercy!

I read that part the other day, during class and I started giggling, so everyone in the vicinity stared at me like I was insane...

I get to see the musical again on Tuesday; I'm so excited!

[Schmergo]

Where are you seeing it? A professional or school production?

[mousemaylikecheese]

We actually got onto a slight tangent about Les Miserables in Bible class today.

[Beaternumber1]

I loved Les Miserable, when i was in New York i saw it live and i've read the book in French and English. I'm trying to convince my friends mom (she's the drama teacher) to let us do it for our play this year! ;D

[Schmergo]

That is so cool! And welcome to the Crow's Nest! Feel free to post an introduction in the Newbie board. I wish my school would put on Les Mis; sadly, they did it the year before I came to this school. GARGH!

[Remora]

Sept 25, 2008 20:14:00 GMT -5 Schmergo said:

Where are you seeing it? A professional or school production?

It's professional, at a place called Tuacahn. I don't know exactly how famous the place is, but they *say* people from around the country have heard about it, so I guess I'm going to find out...But I saw it there back in August and it was amazing. (I go to Tuacahn every summer and this is the best they've ever done.)

I wish my school would do it, though. I'd try out for Eponine, even though I doubt I'd make the part. Even if I didn't, I'd be in the orchestra like I am this year. (Beauty and the Beast.) One of my best friends goes to a performing arts school and they did it her freshman year (She's a junior). And the rival high school did it the year before that. I guess I should talk to the drama and choir teachers about it, since I know the drama teacher really well...

[Schmergo]

Beauty and the Beast is the only show I want to be in more than Les Miserables.

I may have to start hating you now...

[Remora]

Well, I'm not in it in it. But one of my friends's little sister is, so you can start hating her. *joking*

I wanted to be in it, but I can't sing...Speaking of which, I'd probably better practice the music, but it's so darn hard that I keep blowing it off...

[mousemaylikecheese]

Methinks this think has 365 chapters in 48 books, but allow for slight miscalculation!

And in the first five chapters the bishop is good...

Should anyone want to read it online, it is available from Project Gutenberg here.

[mousemaylikecheese]

Compared to Schmergo, this is nothing, but I read Part 1: Fantine, and about three-quarters of Part 2: Cosette yesterday, and I managed the rest of Cosette today, so I've started Marius. But I haven't gotten to Marius (I don't know who he is yet, really). Nor do I know what role Eponine plays other than being a Thenardier. I had to tear myself away from it to eat lunch, and to finally do some of my homework (I still didn't do my algebra). Admittedly, I paused between books (the Waterloo part is interesting on its own, but it was a convienent stopping point) and tried (and I decided I failed) on a whim NaNoWrMo.

But, it is sooooo addicting! My copy looks a good deal similar to the Twilight books but I think I love Monsigneur Bienvenu and Valjean, and Cosette, and just everybody (except Javert(not that I think he's badly characterized, although he probably could be better, but he's just not very likeable...) (oddly enough, I remind myself of Julius Root thinking of Mulch Diggums when I think of Javert...) and the adult Thenardiers(I'm reserving judgement on Eponine and Azelma)(Whew! POA, here I come...)) more than I could ever like that rather ugly(my opinion) and "angelic" (as he is apparently described) Edward Cullen. I cried at Fantine.

My favorite part so far, which, interestingly enough, had to do with the Bible lesson today, is when the Bishop tells Valjean that he's redeemed him.

And I know, not a very promising beginning. When I first read the first section (A Good Man(?)) on Project Gutenberg, I was totally confused as to what this had to do with what I knew of the main plot.

[Schmergo]

Mouse-- it IS addictive, isn't it? I just started "A Tale of Two Cities" yesterday, and it's really good, but I was surprised by how much LESS readable it is than Les Mis, considering that "Tale" was originally written in English.

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO DIDN'T LOVE JAVERT! Now, he's like the best thing ever in the musical, but I just don't think he's that interesting or intimidating in the book. I was expecting a really fascinating character, like Frollo from "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (which is of course by the same dude). I also HATE Enjolras to bits. I can't wait to see what you think of him! (HE reminds me of Edward Cullen, too.)

I really love to hate Thenardier-- he's a fantastic character, both comical AND genuinely threatening. You'll see a lot of him later in the book. Eponine is FLIPPIN HILARIOUS, but so overrated. And I REALLY don't like her in the musical. But I think she's great fun in the book.

I like the character of Marius, but I didn't really when I first read the book-- he was just SOOO radically different from the cuddly teddy bear Marius from the musical. In the book, he's a lot more like Jordan Potter. Very awkward, very nerdy, very cold and reserved, often rather unintentionally cruel. I'm not sure why I like him except for the fact that it's so evident that he's a 'work in process'-- he's a guy who thinks he's grown up and thinks he's wise, but he really has so much further to go, just like Jordan. It's kind of cute.

My favourite characters are Montparnasse, Gavroche, Grantaire, Courfeyrac, Gillenormand, and Thenardier. I also like Marius.

[mousemaylikecheese]

Even with Hugo's digressions, I think I find him generally more readable than thingyens, too...

Admittedly, I didn't end up getting too far in Hunchback...

I think I've encountered none of your favorite characters yet, though...